Local Students Get A Head Start In Engineering

LINDEN – On Feb. 28, local students visited Infineum USA L.P.’s facilities in Linden to participate in its Tenth Annual Career Workshop and learn about careers in engineering.

Approximately 105 students from Union County College and several area high schools, along some of their teachers, guidance counselors, and science directors had an opportunity to hear detailed information on engineering careers from several Infineum engineers and engineering students from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. The main focus of the event was to encourage students become interested in an engineering career.

The program consisted on presentations describing six engineering disciplines: chemical, civil, computer/electrical, environmental, and mechanical, including required courses and what typical engineers do in these fields. In addition, a team-building exercise involved students in hands-on activities which showed the approach to problem-solving and decision-making techniques that engineers use in their everyday lives.

During the team-building exercise, the students were placed into teams to work on a two-part project which consisted of: 1) building a bridge for vehicular and aquatic traffic and 2) erecting a telecommunications tower of considerable height. The “aspiring engineers” were assigned to build the structures using unconventional materials: a set of Lego blocks to build the bridge, and Gummy Dots and spaghetti to erect the tower.

Throughout the program, the students had an opportunity to interact with the engineers and ask questions about pursuing a future career in engineering..

Approximately 105 Students from Union County College and several area high schools, accompanied by teachers and guidance counselors attended Infineum’s Tenth Annual Career Day on February 28. Photo shows two students who built a mock telecommunications tower made out of Gummy Dots and spaghetti.